Because California collects a lot less money in taxes than it pays out in salaries for workers and other spending. If they keep doing that unchecked the state government's credit rating will be downgraded (like Greece has been), which will lead to higher interest rates on it's debt, which will lead to even more spending to finance the higher interest payments, which could ultimately lead to the state defaulting on it's obligations.

Same thing as if you were to ring up a big credit card balance. You may be able to make the minimum monthly payment. But what if you keep spending and adding to that balance? The minimum monthly payment gets bigger. What if it got so big that one month you had to choose between paying your car payment and paying the credit card bill? You could end up losing your car. Same thing is at play here with California.

They need to live within their means.

__________________God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.

LOL. I know. I nearly spit my scotch all over the computer in laughter when he said "we are spending 1 trillion dollars THIS YEAR on war." I mean come on. There are plenty of folks around here with more political/economic knowledge than I (Schneed10, Saden, you, SS33, etc), but that comment was tell tale.

So we are not spending a trillion dollars? Then why the hell are things not going our way? If it's not going our way then spend a trillion and get it over with instead half ass spending on it and it keeps going on for years and years. Most of the American people are confused as to why we are in Afghanistan anyway. Even the RNC chairman, (a black republican with a big ole job) don't know why we are in Afghanistan. Just think about the average American Dallas Cowboy fan, you know they don't know.

OK, your telling me how it works for the state. what about the normal Joe? the governor already has his millions. how would you survive on this kind of pay cut?

Going from $65K to minimum wage? It would hurt a lot, that's for sure. If it were a permanent paycut (which it's not, but...) I'd have to downgrade out of my house and move into a much cheaper apartment, I'd have to sell any car on which I had an outstanding car payment and instead buy a clunker, I'd have to give up all creature comforts such as cell phones, cable TV, and air conditioning, and I'd have to use just about all of my income feeding my family. Hopefully I'd have a spouse who can continue making an average salary. If I were a single parent, life would get extremely hard.

It's a tough decision for the governor to make. But it's one of those situations where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Reducing wages for state workers is one way to bring the government towards a balanced budget, which in the long run is in the best interests of all Californians.

__________________God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.

Personally I'd go the route of cutting programs and laying off a chunk of the state workers. But that's a more permanent move. Schwarzenegger's going for the most temporary of moves to put pressure on the legislature to make decisions and pass a budget. That budget would include program cuts and layoffs.

Unfortunate reality of today's economy.

__________________God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.

Because California collects a lot less money in taxes than it pays out in salaries for workers and other spending. If they keep doing that unchecked the state government's credit rating will be downgraded (like Greece has been), which will lead to higher interest rates on it's debt, which will lead to even more spending to finance the higher interest payments, which could ultimately lead to the state defaulting on it's obligations.

Same thing as if you were to ring up a big credit card balance. You may be able to make the minimum monthly payment. But what if you keep spending and adding to that balance? The minimum monthly payment gets bigger. What if it got so big that one month you had to choose between paying your car payment and paying the credit card bill? You could end up losing your car. Same thing is at play here with California.

In general, I think it's important for people to realize that while life is a right, making a living is a privelege, one that must be earned.

Nobody owes you a $65K job. You need to make sure you're employed by an employer with a successful business model, who can afford to pay you. Don't stick with the employers who can't afford it, like the California state government, or you're susceptible to layoffs. Easier said than done? Maybe, but that's where you have to earn your place in this world. You need to be better than others at your job level, strong enough to make yourself desirable to all employers. Only when employers think you're better than the rest do you earn the privelege that is a job with a successful employer.

Work and deserve it, earn it to own it.

__________________God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.

NY has been going through similar issues. The governor keeps trying to take out the state's financial woes on the state employees. He tried to push through a furlough (every friday off - unpaid), that blew up in his face as he was overruled in the courts. And now he's back to simply threatening layoffs every chance he gets. And now we're into July with no budget. Gotta love NY.

why does it always seem like the ordinary Joe has to pay in the end? state workers? does that include the Cal. legislative branches? the judges? the police/ fireman? it seems like everyone else has to pay for the politicians dumb ass decisions. its just not fair

__________________ "It's better to be quiet and thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt."
courtesy of 53fan

^^ Who elected the dumbass politicians? Who will reelect them when they cut everybody's salary but their own?

On the other side of it, underpaying government workers is likely to lead to a) loss of the well qualified public service employees who will be cherry picked by private industry; and b) an increase in graft/corruption as the remaining employees occassionally seek to "supplement" their income by influencing contracts, fines, etc.

Thats why Chris Christie from New Jersey is the man. He balanced the budged without raising taxes and he did it by actually talking like a normal person. He tells shit like it is instead of talking like some douche politician. Telling the truth works and he got a democratic majority legislator to go along with him because its pretty hard to argue against the truth.

Thats why Chris Christie from New Jersey is the man. He balanced the budged without raising taxes and he did it by actually talking like a normal person. He tells shit like it is instead of talking like some douche politician. Telling the truth works and he got a democratic majority legislator to go along with him because its pretty hard to argue against the truth.

If Christie was a Dem you'd be singing his praises probably. Instead you laugh at his accomplishments because of his party affiliation. You shouldn't be so dismissive of people/policy simply because of the attached affiliation. That line of thinking is a big part of what's wrong with politics today.

If Christie was a Dem you'd be singing his praises probably. Instead you laugh at his accomplishments because of his party affiliation. You shouldn't be so dismissive of people/policy simply because of the attached affiliation. That line of thinking is a big part of what's wrong with politics today.

I'm laughing because what he is trying to do has already been tried in South Carolina. It does not work. It never has worked. It is only a theory. I laugh because Republicans are always spouting theories like they are proven facts. You wanna know how your no tax free market theory actually looks when implemented? Wanna know how a weak and small government society looks? Look at South Carolina, last in education, Over 12 percent unemployment, this was before the bush Depression. New Jersey is gonna kick Republican tails after this aftermath. Kinda like when the terminator terminated Cali. HAHahahahahaha!